Tuesday, October 5

Magical Memories Of Gnomes.....A Gift From 31 Years Ago...

There's gnomes, and then there's Gnomes! This is one of the good looking ones I think. ;)

Very suave little gentlemen he is.

And, I'm a little bit embarrassed to say........... I have a minor 'thing' for gnomes.

Erm, um..... well there it is.

There IS a reason behind this strange attraction to gnomeness however.

When I was little, my mum and dad gave me this gorgeous book about gnomes (31 years ago this December) ...... here it is in all its glory.....

Oh how I loved that book, and still do, completely.

I pored over it for hour upon hour, taking in all the glorious pictures and delighting in the magical, whimsical, and mischievous nature of it all!

I even drew a picture in my 'little book of drawings and notes' because I was so enamoured with gnomes. (You had to be VERY important to make it into my 'special book'.)

My handwriting was never great when I was little though - lol. (And, it's worse today I think - should have been a doctor!)

So, whenever I see a gnome that reminds me of that precious book, (which still takes pride of place on my bookshelf), I can't resist smiling, and remembering my mum and dad, and the gift they gave me 31 years ago.

Ahh Linda !You would love visiting - for some 20 years I have tormented my father with gnomes. He hates them, so i keep hiding them around his garden and home, he never knows how or when they are put there. He even finds them in the roof cavity, bottom of ponds. His collection is now immense!I'm sure in his will there will be a clause about the housing of these gnomes.

Erika, I love that idea of having one inside for your indoor plants! I seem to murder all my indoor plants, perhaps I've been lacking an indoor gnome!

Sounds like a lovely book Meghan, how great you and your sister used to read together. Great memories.

And Lee, YOU CRACK ME UP!! That is SO funny! I had a good belly laugh over your comment. It reminds me of the guy in the Pink Panther movies who always used to jump down and surprise attack Inspector Clouseau..... your dad gets surprise 'gnome attacks'! I can just imagine it - haha!!

I had the same book. I loved it and kept it like a treasure. Unfortunately when i moved here I lost it. I think it was put in the "throw away" box by mistake, there is no other explanation. Or maybe the gnomes just wanted to be free. It fun how a book can bring together people from so many different and far countries. I have many other books I kept from my childhood, many other were lost on the way (I' ve moved 13 times!!) but I still rememer htem all. Sometimes I spend tons of time on ebay just trying to buy back pieces of my lost childhood...bobbi

Oh my! That book looks absolutely gorgeous - and how lovely that you've kept it all these years. Books contain the best kinds of memories I think.

One of my favourite book memories is reading Pinquo by Colin Thiele - it was the first book that I read cover to cover in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down - sure it broke my heart, but it is a story that I'm sure coloured the path of my future. I still have that book - and was thrilled when Colin Thiele visited my primary school! I got it autographed! :)

Hi Sandy! It is the most gorgeous book ever! Seriously... I looked at it week in and week out in the book store when I was little, and then finally got it as a gift from mum and dad. My version was published in 1977 - the first edition I believe!

It was translated from the Netherlands version.

The ISBN is: 0-8109-0965-0

Here's a link to it on Amazon. I see all the reviews are wonderful!!!!!

Thanks for the Linky link!These gnomes are adorable, unlike the ones in the Harry Potter books. The first thing I think of is the movie Amelie, I have to admit. I loved how the gnome "traveled" the globe and sent photos to it's owner. :) Thanks for sharing!

I kept forgettng to comment on this book - but I have it too. The original Dutch version. It's still one of my childhood favourites and I would dream about having a house like the gnome houses in this book.

Did you ever see the sequal? I have that too, but it doesn't compare to the first one. Some of the 'cosiness' and magic is lost in the second one, it's a bit too realistic.

Rien Poortvliet made some other great books that were very atmospheric (I have several of them) - but none as good as this one...

Hahaha! I loved the post. Your love for gnomes is nothing compared to mine, though. You should definitely watch "The World of David the Gnome", and its sequel, "The Wisdom of the Gnomes". Also, the little book collection called "The Secret Book of the Gnomes" (part I) and "Around the World with the Gnomes" (part II). I am an active collector, and I have the series' soundtracks, many books, some comics, plush toys, figurines, and so many other things! I purely and truly believe in and love gnomes. ♥

Hi! My name is Linda, and since I was little, I've loved colour, pattern, and beautiful things! As I grew up, my passion for creating my 'own little world' within my bedroom/cubby-house, graduated to creating my own soulful homes later on.

Find out more about me, discover the 5 important things this blog is about, and read the 'Heartfire At Home MANIFESTO' by clicking here...